Technical Program Manager, AI Delivery for Public Sector & Defence, East Coast

Engineering Program Manager, Public Sector & Defence

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Why This Role?

We're seeking an experienced Engineering Program Manager to join Cohere's customer-facing Engineering Program Management team, with a focus on Canadian public sector and defence accounts. This is a highly specialized role requiring an individual who understands both the technical complexity of frontier AI models and the unique requirements of government and defence organizations.

You will be the critical bridge between our cutting‑edge AI capabilities and the specific needs of Canadian federal departments, provincial agencies, Crown corporations, and defence organizations. You'll navigate complex procurement processes, stringent security requirements, data sovereignty concerns, and regulatory compliance while ensuring our customers successfully deploy and scale our AI solutions.

In this role, you'll collaborate with our Strategic Customer team, Applied ML (AML) Engineering, Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE), Platform, Product, and Go‑to‑Market teams, serving as the technical program lead and trusted advisor for our most sensitive and high‑impact government engagements.

Location :

Ottawa or Toronto required (proximity to government customers)

Security Clearance :

Active Top Secret clearance strongly preferred; candidates eligible and willing to obtain clearance will also be considered

What You'll Do

Customer Program Leadership

Own end-to-end technical program delivery for Canadian public sector and defence customers, from initial deployment through production scaling

Serve as the primary technical program point of contact for government customers, building trusted relationships with departmental CIOs, IT directors, and technical teams

Translate complex government requirements (security, compliance, accessibility, bilingualism, data sovereignty) into actionable engineering plans

Navigate government procurement processes, RFP responses, and contractual technical obligations

Strategic Communication

Provide clear, timely, and objective communication across Cohere's engineering organization, customer stakeholders, and government leadership

Translate between AI / ML technical concepts and government‑appropriate language for decision‑makers who may not have deep technical backgrounds

Present technical roadmaps and status updates to senior government officials and departmental executives

Represent Cohere's technical capabilities in sensitive government and defence contexts

Complex Program Management

Create and manage project schedules that account for government timelines, security review processes, and ministerial approval cycles

Identify and manage dependencies across government departments, security authorities, cloud service providers, and internal Cohere teams

Navigate risks unique to government deployments : privacy compliance, Algorithmic Impact Assessments, Treasury Board submissions, security authorizations

Drive alignment between product development priorities and specific government requirements

Technical Delivery & Execution

Ensure on‑time delivery of AI solutions that meet government‑grade security, privacy, accessibility, and performance standards

Coordinate technical work across multiple teams : model customization, security hardening, integration with government systems, bilingual support

Establish governance checkpoints appropriate for high‑stakes government deployments

Problem‑solve complex technical challenges in air‑gapped, on‑premises, or highly regulated environments

Required Experience

7+ years of experience as an Engineering or Technical Program Manager

At least 2 years in customer‑facing technical delivery and operations for enterprise‑grade software or AI / ML solutions

Experience working with government, defence, or heavily regulated customers (public sector, defence contractors)

Proven track record managing complex, multi‑stakeholder technical programs with stringent compliance requirements

Technical Background

Strong understanding of enterprise software deployment architectures (cloud, on‑premises, hybrid, air‑gapped)

Knowledge of or experience with LLM training, fine‑tuning, or deployment would be a strong differentiator

Comfortable discussing API integrations, model inference, data pipelines, and ML operations with technical stakeholders

Government & Defence Acumen

Deep understanding of how government organizations procure, evaluate, and deploy technology

Familiarity with Canadian government requirements : data sovereignty, privacy laws (Privacy Act), accessibility standards, official languages obligations, security classifications

Understanding of defence and national security considerations in AI deployment

Experience with Algorithmic Impact Assessments or AI ethics frameworks is a strong asset

Eligible to obtain Canadian government security clearance (Top Secret preferred)

Nice To Have

Active Canadian government security clearance (Secret or Top Secret) - strong preference for active Top Secret clearance

Bilingual (English / French) proficiency

Background in or strong familiarity with Canadian defence, intelligence, or critical infrastructure sectors

Experience with GC Cloud services (Azure, AWS GovCloud) or Protected B / C environments

Project management certification (PMP, PgMP) or government‑specific methodologies

Security Clearance Requirements

This role requires eligibility for Canadian government security clearance.

Strong preference will be given to candidates who currently hold an active Top Secret (TS) clearance, as this will enable immediate engagement with our most sensitive defence and national security customers.

However, We Will Also Consider Exceptional Candidates Who :

Currently hold Secret clearance and are eligible for TS upgrade

Do not currently hold clearance, but are eligible and willing to undergo the Top Secret clearance process

Have a previous government security clearance that has lapsed

Please note that obtaining Top Secret clearance can take 12‑18 months. Candidates without active clearance will work on non‑classified public sector accounts while the clearance process is underway.

What Makes This Role Unique

This isn't typical program management—it's a highly specialized role at the intersection of frontier AI, national security, and public sector digital transformation. You'll work on some of Canada's most sensitive and impactful AI deployments, helping government organizations harness cutting‑edge technology while maintaining the highest standards of security, ethics, and accountability.

If you're passionate about responsible AI adoption, understand the unique constraints and opportunities within government, and want to have an outsized impact on how Canada leverages AI to serve its citizens, this role is for you.

If some of the above doesn’t line up perfectly with your experience, we still encourage you to apply!

We value and celebrate diversity and strive to create an inclusive work environment for all. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal opportunities. Should you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please submit an Accommodations Request Form, and we will work together to meet your needs.

Full‑Time Employees At Cohere Enjoy These Perks

An open and inclusive culture and work environment

Work closely with a team on the cutting edge of AI research

Weekly lunch stipend, in‑office lunches & snacks

Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget to take care of your mental health

100% Parental Leave top‑up for up to 6 months

Personal enrichment benefits towards arts and culture, fitness and well‑being, quality time, and workspace improvement

Remote‑flexible, offices in Toronto, New York, San Francisco, London and Paris, as well as a co‑working stipend

✈️ 6 weeks of vacation (30 working days!)

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